Questions of Science
by Courtney2
Summary: Nobody said it was easy . . . no one ever said it would be this hard. LukeGrace


Title: Questions of Science Author: Courtney Email: email@courtneysweb.com Rating: PG Disclaimer: Not mine. Title and summary blatantly ripped from Coldplay. Summary: Nobody said it was easy . . . no one ever said it would be this hard. Author's Notes: This may be the first of a series of Luke/Grace stories, or it may be a stand alone. Either way, here it is. Hope you like it.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Luke couldn't really remember why he'd agreed to keep it a secret. In fact, for a long time he'd wondered what there really was to keep secret in the first place. He'd make some excuse about studying at the library or Friedman's house, then he'd go over to Grace's house instead.  
  
It wasn't like anything was going on. They would just study or watch tv or something. So, why did he have to lie to his parents about where he was going? Would Grace really be that mortified if Joan found out that she and Luke shared a mutual friend? He was starting to feel kind of offended by the whole thing, to the point where he finally summoned the nerve to bring his feelings up with Grace.  
  
"Are you ashamed of being friends with me?" he asked point-blank as they sat on the couch one afternoon when he was supposed to be on a math club outing. His eyes remained fixated on the Discovery channel, but he could still feel Grace's gaze shift to him.  
  
"Why would you ask that?" she replied, her voice remaining completely cool.  
  
Luke sighed, shaking his head and staring down at his hands. "I'm . . . I mean, what the hell, Grace? Why *wouldn't* I ask that?" he countered. "You seem to want to hang out with me, but only if no one else knows about it. And you wonder why that would make me feel, I dunno, bad?"  
  
He still hadn't looked over at her, couldn't see the look of regret that flickered briefly across her features. She moved slightly, bumping their shoulders together and said, "I'm not ashamed, Freak."  
  
Finally, perhaps spurred by something he heard in her voice, or maybe just ready to face whatever truth lay ahead, Luke turned his gaze towards her and asked, "Then why?"  
  
It was Grace's turn to sigh, then she shrugged and started to fidget as she seemed to search for something to say to him. "Why are you making this so complicated? It's just . . . it's nothing, okay?"  
  
Luke looked instantly hurt as he quietly replied, "It's not nothing to me." Before Grace could respond, he'd risen from the couch and gone to collect his things. "I think I have my answer anyway; I should get home."  
  
Grace watched him, popping her knuckles and chewing her lip, looking as if she were ready to scream or bolt or something just as dramatic. Then, just as Luke opened the door to go, she called out, "No!"  
  
Luke turned, regarding her with a questioning look.  
  
"Don't . . . I mean, I don't want . . . dammit, it's not nothing to me either, okay?" she finally blurted. Her eyes darted around, focusing everywhere but on the boy who could now not seem to look anywhere but at her. "I'm sorry, alright? It's just, I'm not very good at this . . . stuff."  
  
"Stuff?" he asked, still standing by the door but no longer carrying his jacket and backpack.  
  
"You know . . . dating," she said, the last word barely audible, but judging by the look on Luke's face, he had managed to hear it just fine.  
  
"We're, um, dating?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Grace said gruffly. "I mean, it's not like we're going steady so don't get any ideas about giving me your class ring or some garbage."  
  
Luke smiled, answering, "I'm only a sophomore; I don't have a ring."  
  
"Well, then . . . good. Less to worry about," she said. She was too busy studying the couch cushion to notice that Luke was walking back across the room until he was sitting beside her again.  
  
"Grace," he prompted. She didn't respond, nor did she look in his direction. "Grace," he said again, this time gently turning her chin to face him. He smiled at her and said, "I think I have to kiss you now."  
  
Grace didn't answer, her eyes just focusing on his lips as he leaned forward to kiss her; their second kiss, and definitely much better than the first.  
  
Afterwards, they went back to watching the Discovery channel, exchanging comments here and there about whatever show was on. There was no further conversation about a relationship or anything of the sort. The only difference seemed to be that they sat a little closer together and that Luke refused to let go of her hand for the rest of the evening. Grace wasn't about to admit it, but she kind of liked it.  
  
* * * * * 


End file.
